Namibia: Background & Geography
| Introduction | Namibia |
|
Background:
|
South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war of independence for the area that was soon named Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Independence came in 1990 following multi-party elections and the establishment of a constitution. President NUJOMA is currently serving his third term as president. |
| Geography | Namibia |
|
Location:
|
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
22 00 S, 17 00 E |
|
Map references:
|
Africa |
|
Area:
|
total: 825,418 sq km
water: 0 sq km land: 825,418 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
slightly more than half the size of Alaska |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total: 3,936 km
border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 967 km, Zambia 233 km |
|
Coastline:
|
1,572 km |
|
Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions):
|
territorial sea: 12 NM
contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM |
|
Climate:
|
desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic |
|
Terrain:
|
mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, hydropower, fish
note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore |
|
Land use:
|
arable land: 0.99%
permanent crops: 0% other: 99.01% (1998 est.) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
70 sq km (1998 est.) |
|
Natural hazards:
|
prolonged periods of drought |
|
Environment - current issues:
|
very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification; wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas |
|
Environment - international agreements:
|
party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
|
Geography - note:
|
first country in the world to incorporate the protection of the environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip |